1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to wheeled luggage and more particularly to a single handle rod based retractable handle assembly for wheeled luggage having a pivotal handle grip for being adapted to fit different individuals with various heights.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, a handle assembly of wheeled luggage has a pair of parallel handle rods (typically, they are retractable) disposed on a rear of the luggage and a top handle grip interconnected the handle rods. Hence, a user can tow the luggage by holding the handle grip. This has the advantage of increased stability while towing luggage. However, it also consumes some precious storage space of luggage because a portion of rear is configured to receive the handle assembly. Further, more components (e.g., sliding tube(s), a support tube, and one or more associated locking devices) means higher possibility of fail of luggage and higher manufacturing cost. Hence, a handle assembly having a single handle rod has been developed. Such is best illustrated in FIGS. 19 and 20. For increasing the structural strength, a handle rod H typically has a larger diameter. However, the prior art is unsatisfactory for the purpose for which the invention is concerned for the following reasons: User may feel uncomfortable by holding both a T-shaped handle grip G and a joint C between the handle grip G and a handle rod H with fingers fully extended while towing the luggage with considerable force. This is particularly true if the towing is long in distance. Also, for the aesthetic purpose, both horizontal parts of the handle grip G are made short. As such, it is often that the user's trouser T may interfere with one wheel while towing luggage. In other words, the handle grip G does not extend laterally enough (i.e., it is near the center of luggage). It is quite inconvenient.
Moreover, in such single handle rod based retractable handle assembly an orientation of the hand holding handle grip is perpendicular to a moving direction of user while towing the luggage. This means that the hand is turned about 90 degrees. It is not ergonomic. In addition, an angle of handle grip with respect to handle rod is fixed since they are fixedly connected. Such has the disadvantage of impossible of adapting the handle grip to fit different individuals with various heights by pivoting the same. As a result, many users may bear a great burden while towing the luggage. In other words, it is not a labor saving design.
Thus, it is desirable to provide an improved single handle rod based retractable handle assembly for wheeled luggage in order to overcome the above drawbacks of the prior art.